Orienteering race 1:40:40 [3] 19.5 km (5:10 / km) +244m 4:52 / km
JK Long - Holmbush & Buchan Country Park
Started off steady and hit 1,2,3,4 well. Then decided to go straight on a bearing into 5. This would have been fine, if my bearing hadn't been off by about 45 degrees and didn't count the paths properly. I hit the path way too early and relocated to the wrong path before wondering around for ages before realising and then coming straight into the control. By this point I realised that the white forests were not easy running so took the path route to 6. Was wondering if the top path to 8 was best but some elites took it as well so it can't have been terrible. Path route to 9/10 also seemed reasonable looking at the splits. Tried to cut in too early for 11 and lost 30s hesitating. Decided to go straight to 12 but then promptly started looking for 2 (thinking it was 12). Found 2 but the control code was wrong (216) and then hunted around looking for my control. Think the route down to the path was slow after relocating but was trying to simplify navigation after the mistake. Followed too much into 14 which meant a miss on 13 and then into the map change.
The first section after the map change was a technical bushy section. Tried to go off too fast not taking into account the bush cover which was very accurately mapped it turned out. Was then good into 18,19,20,21 once I started to trust the map. Spent a long time deciding the route choice for the long leg and in the end went near to spectator through the fields. Still think this was best looking at the map. Similar long leg into 23, decided to go straightish but could have crossed the stream straighter. Lost 4 minutes on the leader so would be interested to see their route. Huge banana into 24 from another awful bearing. It makes sense now why I was so confused as I crossed a path I never intended to go across. Spent a long time (2-3 mins) at 24 planning the long leg. Went straight to the river and across paths which was reasonable. Then good through the last 3 controls but not so great overall. Think I need more long leg practice which is hard to come by at local events.